62 i Agricultural Gazette of N.S. W. [Aug. 3, 1908. 



and iiR'ans availabk- ior producing electncal energ\' in cnir own count iv, it 

 will be generally conceded that steam power is out of the question for the 

 problem in hand, although it is estimated that, with the best modern 

 appliances, 1 kilowatt yimv of 8,7<>() hours can be iHoduccd in south-east 

 Lancashire for £(). The gas engine, however, offers more hope of success, 

 and it will be interesting to considei- the rosf*o:^ production by tliis motor 

 when run on gaseous fuel obtained from various sources. The gas obtained 

 by the distillation of coal in closed retorts does not come within the scope 

 of this iii(|uiry. as the only suitable sources of sup])ly wouhl be the modern 

 coke ovens, and tlie gas in such cases is entirely consuun'd in caiiyiug out 

 the operations of the works, partly in distilling tlie coal, tar, &c., and partlv 

 in raising steam for power pur])oses, and also for the rcct ilicjition of the 

 low-boiling fractions of the tai'. 



" We mnst, therefore, turn to ])r()ducer gas as a source of supply. Even 

 the smaller units, of which so many are now in the market, show great 

 economy over steam engines in the production oi power. I may cite a case 

 of such a unit, now running in London, and using coke as fuel, with which 



Suction Gas Plant. 



a four weeks' test was carried out. The results showed that a kilowatt 

 year could be produced for .£() 2s. ; this sum includes all charges. On this 

 basis, ] ton of nitric acid would cost £10 (is. Sd. With the larger plants, 

 however, and taking the Mond producer as the best representative type, 

 a very much greater economy is shown. Using the figures given by Guye, 

 in his paper, read before the London Section of this Society, in May, l'.)06 

 we find that, with fuel at 7s. per ton, and reckoning £14 as the cost of the 

 outfit, the kilowatt year costs £"> I'is. (id., approximately. Under these 

 circumstances, the energy-cost per ton of nitric acid, would amount to £6 3s. 



